Burglar-trap.



No. 727,812. PATENTED MAY-12, 190s.

W. LAWRENCE.

- BURGLAR TRAP.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 10, 1902.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

no MODEL.

F W i 3n van for 7T Ida/raw.

PATENTED MAY 12, 1903.

W. LAWRENCE.

BURGLAR TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 10 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.NO MODEL.

3n man for, flawrenoa.

UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MAX SGHACHTEL, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

BURG LAR-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,812, dated May 12, -190a Application filed May 10, 1902.

To all whomt't may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LAWRENCE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at O liicago, in the county of Cook and State of 1111- nois, have invented a new and usefulBurgla Trap, of which the following isaspecification.

This invention is a safety device or appliance to be used upon the exterior of bankwindows, express-office windows, andpostoffice and ticket-office windows for the purpose of arresting and preventin r the escape of any one attempting to commit a theft or a hold-up.

Another object is to provide means for protecting the teller or clerk.

With these objectsin view the invention consists of a cage having turnstiles at each end arranged before a window, a spring-actuated shutter adapted to close the window, means for holding said shutter open, and means for locking the turnstiles.

The invention consists alsoin certain details of construction and novelties of combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of-this specification, Figure l is a perspective view showing the application of my invention to the exterior of an exchange or bank window. Fig. 2 is a view taken from the inner side of the said window and illustrating the mechanism for closing the Window and locking the tnrnstile-gatesand sounding the alarm. Fig. 3 is a top view of the gate-locking mechanism. Fig. 4 is an end view of the cage and gate-locking mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken through one end of the cage. I

In carrying out my invention I employ a metallic cage A, which is arranged in front of a window and is provided with turnstilegates B at its opposite ends said gates being adapted to turn in one direction only, and in order to accomplish this I arrange a ratchetwheel B upon the upper end of the turnstilepost, which ratchet wheel is engaged by means of a spring-actuated pawl 13*, thereby.

permitting the person to enter at one end and pass out through the opposite end. The cage is preferably constructed of iron in any desirable or ornamental pattern and is closed at Serial No. 106.838. (No modelthe top, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.: The window 0 maybe provided with any suitable grillwork; but whether or not such grillwork is employed I arrange a shutter D upon the inner side of the window-frame, said shutter being preferably constructed of metal and sliding in a guideway D, extending horizontally across the top of the window. Said guideway contains a spring D which is fastened at one end to the shutter, as shown at D and at the opposite end to the remote end of the guideway, as shown at D, the purpose oi said spring being to draw the shutter across the window for the purpose of closing the same the moment the said shutter is released, thereby protecting the teller or clerk fromassault. In order to normally hold the shutter open, as indicated in Fig. 2, Iemploy a wheel E, having radiallyprojecting arms E, which engage a pin E attached to the shutter and projecting outwardly therefrom, and this wheel is held stationary by means of a spring-actuated pawl E pivoted at E and having a spring E connected thereto. A cord E is connected to the end of the pawl and passes over the pulley E and is connected'to the free end of a treadle E The wheel E has a spring E con: nected thereto, the normal tendency of which is to rotatethe wheel in a direction indicated by the arrow. The moment the wheel is disengaged or unlocked by the disengagement of the pawl and the moment the wheel. ro-

tates in the direction indicated the shutter becomes released, and the spring D acting upon the shutter, causes it to slide across the window, closing the same, and it will be 'nnderstood that in case any one should attempt to hold up the teller or clerk or should attempt to commit a theft it is only necessary for the clerk or teller to press down upon the treadle E", which disengages the pawl E releasing the wheel E and permitting the shutter to close. Simultaneous with the closing of the window I provide for locking the turnstile-gates at each end of the cage, and to accomplish this I arrange a locking ratchet wheel F upon the upper end of each turnstilepost, which wheels are adapted to be engaged by the pawls G, pivoted at G and normally held out of engagementby means of the cords or ropes G passing over pulleys G and fastened upon hooks G G indicates springs attached to the ends of the pawls G, the purpose of which is to throw the said pawls into-engagement with the ratchets F and lock the turnstile-posts the moment the cords or ropes are disengaged from the hooks G and in order to disengage the rings G", which are carried upon the ends of the ropes, I employ the 'arm H, fastened to the inner face of the shutter and having a short prong H and a long prong H the short prong engaging the ring adjacent thereto, while the long prong is intended to engage the opposite ring, and it will be noted that the hooks and the arm are so arranged with reference to each other that as the shutter moves across the window-opening for the purpose of closing the same the arm H with its prongs H and H will disengage the rings from the hooks G, thereby releasing the pawls G and permitting the springs G to act upon the said pawls so as to throw them into engagement with the wheels F, thereby looking the turnstile-gates at each end of the cage, preventing the escape of the person attempting the theft or hold-up.

I I indicate contact-points which are connected to the conductor-wires 1, leading to the battery 1 and electromagnetic bell 1 ,10- cated at any suitable point, or any other convenient form of alarm or indicator may be employed. A contact-plate 1 is carried upon the shutter D, so that when the said shutter closes the window-opening the circuit will be closed and the alarm given.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and highly-efficient safety device or appliance which can be applied to the exterior of a window and willprove highly eflicient for the purpose of preventing thefts and also for the purpose of arresting and.detaining the person or persons attempting to commit such theft.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the window, of a spring-actuated shutter having a laterallyprojecting pin, a spring-actuated wheel having a plurality of radial arms, one of which is adapted to engage the pin, a spring-actuated pawl adapted to engage another one of the arms, and a treadle for disengaging the said pawl for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with a cage having tnrnstile-gates at the ends, a spring-actuated shutter carrying a bifurcated arm, said shut ter also having a laterally-projecting pin, a spring-actuated wheel having radial arms, a spring-actuated pawl. having a treadle connected therewith, locking ratchet-wheels arranged upon the upper ends of the turnstilepost, springactuated pawls adapted to engage the said ratchets, cords attached to the said pawls, and hooks to'which the ends of the said cords are connected, all of said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as specified.

3. A device of the kind described, comprising a cage arranged before a window, a springactuated shutter adapted to close the window, means for normally holding the shutter to one side of the window, turnstiles at each end of the cage, ratchet-wheels carried by the turnstiles, spring-actuated pawls adapted to engage said ratchets and prevent them from turning, cords secured at one end to the pawls and carrying rings at their opposite ends, hooks adapted to engagesaid rings and means carried by the shutter for releasing said rings from engagement with the hooks.

his WILLIAM LAWRENCE. mark Witnesses:

SIMON T. SUTTON, A. W. STEVENSON. 

